


Lovely to Love You

by Ace_Avenger



Category: Knives Out (2019)
Genre: But we still love him, Gen, KNIVES OUT SPOILERS, Ransom Drysdale Being an Asshole, knives out - Freeform, ransomxreader, readerxransom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:08:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21783469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ace_Avenger/pseuds/Ace_Avenger
Summary: The warmth of your home was gone along with the man you thought you knew and loved. Going through old things, remembering when he wasn't the monster he is now, you think about how lovely it really was to love Ransom Drysdale***Spoiler alert for everything in Knives Out ***Based on the song "Lovely to Love You" by Evan Blum
Relationships: Ransom Drysdale/Reader, Ransom Drysdale/You
Comments: 23
Kudos: 97





	1. Your Thoughts

**Author's Note:**

> Hi this is my first ever thing here and I'm BIG spooked about posting it. Hope ye enjoy!  
> If you haven't seen Knives Out yet, I would wait to read this. It's a big ole spoiler fest.

Walking through the halls of the house in front of you would never feel the same now that Ransom was gone. You couldn’t believe how fast things had changed in a matter of days. His family, the people that brought you into their lives. Taking a deep breath as you got to the front door, you reached for the handle and walked inside the home you made with the man you loved at one point.

***

_It started two years ago over the summer. You had been working at the high-end coffee shop in town to make ends meet at home and help out your own family. Ransom ordered a coffee from you, was met with a smile, and he soon became a regular there._

_He loved your personality and you both clicked easily. You didn’t fully understand why he wanted to be around you, a barista at a coffee shop while he looked like he bought everything he owned at Gucci other than some of his comfy tattered sweaters, but you enjoyed his company and charming smile._

_“Come on, my family doesn’t bite. Unless you try to take their alcohol or money, then they will,” Ransom assured you as you both walked up to the front door of the Thrombey estate. You were both there to visit his family a few months after first meeting Ransom. You were meeting them all for the first time and it was pretty nerve-racking._

_“I’m just nervous about it. You’ve told me so many horror stories about them, I figured they would just treat me like an outsider.”_

_“No, they do that to me enough,” Ransom sighed and looked up at the house. “Look, we don’t have to go in if you don’t want to. I can call someone and tell them I got sick or something and we can do something else that’s way more fun than watching my family argue.”_

_You shook your head and shoved your hands in your jacket pockets. “Let’s go meet your family. I said I would come with you and I’m not backing out.”_

_Ransom gave you a small smile and reached for the door handle, opening the door for you. “Let’s head in then.”_

***

Cool air hit you as you entered the house, closing the door behind you as you looked around at the quiet area. All of the furniture was still right where you both left it. Nothing was out of place. Nothing there ever was.

Padding over to the living room, you took a deep breath. This was a lot harder than you thought it was going to be. One of Ransom’s sweaters was sitting on the back of the couch. You gingerly picked it up and brought it up to your nose, breathing in his scent; cedarwood and sage.

With how cold it was in the house, you thought for a split second of putting the sweater on but decided to quickly put it back on the couch where you found it.

The blanket you both used to snuggle up with while watching one of your favorite movies was still crumpled up on the couch. You reached for it and started folding it, setting it back down when you were done, reminded of all the times you would sit there with him. Seeing him look at you like you were the sun and stars above. He really loved you.

***

_“I think you’ve had a little too much wine.”_

_"I don’t think you’ve had enough.”_

_Ransom laughed lightly at your comment and shook his head. “I’m not the one that loves wine. You are. I’m not into the fruity stuff like you.”_

_"No, you like that nasty beer crap you drink,” you giggled and took a sip from your glass. Ransom invited you over for wine, pizza, and a movie. It had become a regular with you both at this point. It had now been a year since you first met him._

_Throughout the year of knowing him, you could catch him watching you occasionally while you were at work or smiling as you laughed at something someone said. You didn’t know why at the time he always had his eyes on you._

_"Listen, it’s not my fault you don’t have the acquired taste for it,” he pointed at you and said. “That’s on you.”_

_"I’m sorry that I don’t like your horrible drink choices. I’ll stick with my wine, thank you.”_

_“I know you will,” he said, watching as you finished off your glass and set it down on the table in front of you. Your eyes turned to the fireplace, the flames flickering and casting a bright glow on your face. Ransom wanted to take a picture of that moment._

_He sat up a little on the couch and set his glass on the table as well. “Hey, can I ask you something?”_

_You turned your body a little to face him, bringing your eyes to meet his and nodded. “Of course.”_

_He cleared his throat and played with the sleeve of his sweater. Something you had noticed he only did when he was nervous or thinking hard about something._

_“Ransom? Are you okay?” you asked him quietly. You knew him better than anyone in his family or friend group. He knew that as well and he was fairly certain he knew you in the same way._

_“I’m okay. I just...you make me feel like a different person,” he started, looking down at his sleeve. “You make me want to be a better person. You’ve seen me at my worst with my family and you know it’s not pretty. You know my entire life isn’t as pretty as I make it out to be.”_

_As he spoke, the buzz of the wine made your eyes wander over him. There were a few stray hairs that were hanging over his forehead. You knew he always tried to keep his hair back, but you found that you adored it when they got loose. His eyes that always instantly brightened when you came into the room were stuck on you at the moment. You felt like you couldn’t look away now._

_"You mean a lot to me, honestly. Ever since I met you I knew I wanted to be around you and get to know you more and more,” Ransom continued. “I needed you to know that. That’s why I always ask you to come over or ask you if you want to go do something after work. I know you like sunflowers and wish everyone would keep their Christmas lights up all year round because it’s your favorite holiday.”_

_“Is that why you put lights on your fireplace after I said that?” you interrupted him. He nodded sheepishly._

_“I wanted to make you happy and I knew those would make you happy.”_

_A smile crept across your face as Ransom stammered, trying to figure out what to say next._

_“I love you.”_

_He looked at you with wide eyes. “You what?”_

_“Did I say the wrong thing?” you asked him, tipping your head a little._

_He took a deep breath and shook his head. “No, it’s just that that’s what I was going to say to you.”_

_Your smile grew as he leaned towards you. Your eyes closed slowly as you felt his lips meet yours. It was gentle and sweet, causing butterflies to rapidly fly around in your stomach. You hadn’t felt anything like this before but you didn’t want it to stop._

_Ransom pulled away for only a moment to say something but you grabbed his face and pulled him back in again for another kiss. He gladly kissed you back and smiled._

_You knew what he wanted to say anyway._

***

“God, this sucks,” you mumbled to yourself and wiped at your eyes, getting up from the couch and heading out of the living room. You just needed to grab your things and get out of here. Sticking around and getting lost on nostalgia lane would just make it harder to leave.

You made your way to the bedroom. Opening the door, you were met with the unmade bed how you both left it the morning that Ransom was taken away in the back of the police car.

Ignoring the messy bed, you went to the closet and grabbed an empty box from the back. Ready to get your things to leave, you started taking the clothes hanging up that belonged to you, avoiding any and all things that were his.

Bringing the box over to the dresser after you were done with the closet, you opened the top drawer and froze. Dozens of little post-it notes sat in the drawer, all signed with your name on them in your handwriting. They were the notes you would leave for Ransom when you would leave the house for work or he had somewhere to go.

_Did he really keep all of these?_

You slowly reached down and picked a few of the notes up.

> _Have a good day._
> 
> _I’ll be back tonight. I love you._
> 
> _Good luck with your family today. I love you so much._
> 
> _Sorry about stealing your sweater (again) but I just love it (and you) a lot_

You set the notes back down in the pile and rubbed your face with your hands.

_Why did he have to do this? Why couldn’t he just be good?_

Trying to shove your feelings to the side to accomplish your task, you shook your head and started grabbing the rest of your things from the drawers, leaving the notes and even a sweater Ransom had given you since you stole it from him so many times.

After everything was packed up, you looked on top of the dresser and picked up a picture Ransom kept of the two of you. He even had a little one he always kept in his wallet because of how much he loved it. The memory of that day flooded through your brain as you tried to keep your tears at bay.

***

_“Can I please open my eyes now?” you asked with a laugh as Ransom drove. You had no idea what he had in store for you, but from how big his smile was before he got you in the car was a pretty big clue on something great._

_“Not yet, just trust me. I promise this is going to be fun,” you heard him say. He slipped his hands into yours that was sitting on your lap and gave it a gentle squeeze._

_“I always trust you, idiot,” you responded, earning you a dorky laugh from the man beside you._

_"Love you too, idiot.”_

_A few minutes later, Ransom stopped the car and got out, helping you out as well as he made sure you kept your eyes closed._

_“Are you bringing me to my grave, Drysdale?” you joked._

_“Never. I’m bringing you somewhere way better.”_

_He took your hand and guided you a few yards away from the car. Feeling grass beneath your shoes and a breeze rushing past you, you had a feeling you knew where you were._

_“Okay, open your eyes,” he said finally after getting you right where he wanted you._

_You slowly opened your eyes and saw trees all around you in the clearing you were standing in. There were Christmas lights hanging from almost every branch you could see, twinkling as the breeze moved them slightly._

_“What is all this?” you asked as you looked around with wide eyes. “This is our spot, right? The one we found in the woods?”_

_“That’s where we are,” Ransom nodded, shoving his hands in his coat pockets, smiling as he watched you take everything in around you._

_“This is beautiful. I love the lights,” you said and looked over at him with a smile._

_“I know you love them. And you know what?’ he asked and walked towards you to stand right in front of you. “I love you way more.”_

_With your cheeks heating up, you leaned forward and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Yeah well, I love you the most.”_

_“I doubt that.”_

_“Really?”_

_Ransom nodded and brought a hand up to your face to cup your cheek. You leaned into it and hummed softly. He was warm and soft and gentle. He always was with you._

_“You have made the last two years of my life so much better, you know that right?” he asked you softly. “And I want you to make the rest of my life the same way.”_

_“I’m always going to be here for you, Ransom. I love you,” you assured him. He would worry sometimes that he wasn’t good enough for you and you would need to let him know that you would be there._

_“I hope you will. Or what I’m about to ask you isn’t going to matter,” he said and dropped his hand from your face._

_“What are you talking-” you started, stopping as you watched him pull a box from his coat pocket and get down on his knee. He opened the box up to you and showed you the most gorgeous ring you had ever seen._

Oh my god.

_"You mean everything to me. I want to take care of you and watch movies and drink nasty fruity wine and grow old together. I’ve never wanted anything like this before but I only want it with you. Will you marry me?”_

_You couldn’t hide the huge grin that made its way on your face as you nodded. “Of course I will.”_

_He smiled brightly and took your hand and the ring, slipping it on your finger gently._

_You looked at him as he stood up and wrapped your arms around his neck._ _He held onto you and pulled you close, never wanting to let you go._

_“I love you so much,” you whispered to him and kissed his cheek._

_“I love you too,” he replied. “Now I promised your family that I would show them you wearing your ring as soon as you got it,” he added and pulled his phone from his pocket. You laughed and looked at the camera as he pulled it up._

_Ransom took the picture of you holding up your hand, him kissing your cheek, and the brightest smile you’ve ever had on your face. It quickly became his favorite picture and he never stopped showing it to everyone he came across._

***

You twisted the ring that was still on your finger as you sat on the edge of the bed. You couldn’t marry Ransom now. He was in jail. He killed his own grandfather. Someone that welcomed you into his home and family. He was dead and Ransom got him killed.

You couldn’t believe it when the detective revealed everything to you and the rest of his family. Watching Ransom being led out of the house in handcuffs. He could barely even lift his gaze to look at you at that moment before being driven away in the cop car.

What were you supposed to do?

Standing up slowly, you took the ring off your finger and went over to the dresser. You placed the ring on the corner and backed away, picking up your box and leaving the bedroom.

You didn’t regret loving Ransom. You didn’t even regret saying yes to marrying him. You would cherish the time you had before he became the monster he really was. He never acted like that around you. He was gentle and sweet and good to you. His family was good to you until he was taken away. Then they acted like the same monsters he told you about in his family stories.

It was actually lovely to love Ransom Drysdale.

Walking through the house one last time towards the front door, you let out a breath. It felt like you were letting go of everything here. The home you made with Ransom, the love you shared, the movies and cider and kisses by the fire. Everything.

Shutting the door for the last time and putting your box in the trunk of your car, it was time to leave the house for good.

You looked up at it one last time.

“Bye, Ransom,” you whispered before getting in your car and driving away, not looking back for even a second.

***


	2. Ransom's Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As you were walking through the home you created with the man you once loved, he sat in a jail cell with only one thing on his mind. This is Ransom's side of the story and his thoughts and feelings on everything he did to himself, his family, and especially you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a couple comments on making this for a part two and I LOVED the idea so much that I had to write it. Enjoy it!

The cell was cold and empty. Something Ransom would have to get used to very soon seeing as he wasn't going anywhere for a long time. His head hung as he stared down at the concrete floor below his feet as he sat on the small bed.

God, he missed you so much. Your warmth, your smile, your everything. You _were_ his everything. Until he went and killed his grandfather, ruining every chance he would ever have with you. You hadn't even come to visit him at the police station yet. He figured you never would. He didn't want you to be here anyway. It would just break him down and make him feel even more guilty than he already did. Honestly, Ransom wished and hoped to never have to see you again just to make sure he wouldn't see your disappointed face. The concern and heartbreak and anger behind your eyes. He didn't want that.

***

_"God, you're so annoying when you do that."_

_"What? Say something that's right? You know I'm right."_

_"No, Ransom. You always have to be the one that's right. I hate it. I can't stand you when you get like that."_

_It had been a rough day on the both of you. A whole month before he would propose to you. Ransom had to deal with family issues and your job was about to break you in half from overworking you. You were tired, stressed out, and wanted nothing more than to relax at home with the man you loved and forget about all of your anxieties._

_But that didn't work out all the time._

_"I don't always have to be right. You're just being dramatic again," Ransom snapped back and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. You turned to look at him, shock crossing your already angry expression._

_"_ I'm _being dramatic?" you asked, stepping towards him. "I'm not the only that comes home from my family and complains about them 24/7. You always act like its the end of the world when you have to see your family. Maybe if you weren't such an asshole to them all the time, things would be different."_

 _"You think_ I'm _the asshole? You've met them before. They're all lunatics that want power and money. They don't care about anyone or anything else. Not me, not you, not anyone."_

_Ransom knew as soon as the words left his mouth that he had messed up big time. Your hardened gaze softened with disbelief._

_"They don't care about me?"_

_"I didn't mean-"_

_"I've been nothing but good to them. All of them. And you think they don't care about me?"_

_"That's not what I meant to say," Ransom shook his head and stepped towards you, reaching out a hand to your own. You pulled away and crossed your arms over your chest._

_"What did you mean to say then?"_

_"Look," he said with a sigh. "We've both had a long day. I'm exhausted. You're exhausted. Let's just cool down for a bit and come back to this later, alright? We can fix this and-"_

_You turned your back to him and shook your head. "Stop. Just stop. I don't want to cool down and come back to it later. I want you to stop being like this. I don't want things fixed, I just don't want them to break in the first place."_

_And with that, you walked away and out the door, leaving Ransom alone in his house._

***

Ransom felt like a monster then and now he felt like the worst one of all. Luckily, your forgiving heart made it easy for you to come around again and stop fighting. Ransom said the right things and promised to never break anything again. You believed him and he kept that promise.

Until now that is.

He stood up and paced around his cell. Police officers chatted as they passed by the cells, some glancing in to check on their criminals. All of them making sure to take a look at the big rich boy that murdered his grandfather over money.

Not so big and rich now, huh?

With a heavy sigh, he went to the wall across from the bars keeping him in his cell and leaned against it. The cops gave him the option of a phone call when he first got to the station. He denied it at first, not knowing who would even answer him right now to talk. He didn't know if anyone ever would now, especially not from his family. They were probably all relieved that he was in there, never having to hear him complain or make jokes about them all.

Ransom's mind was a mess at this point. Thoughts swirling around to what he could have done differently. He didn't have to kill someone over some stupid money. There were so many other ways to handle everything with his grandfather. But he didn't think clearly.

He never intended for anything to get this bad. Sure, he had problems with his family. Most everyone has some kind of problem with their family. And yes, both of you had your own issues to work out, every couple does. He was willing to go above and beyond for you even if it didn't always work out how he wanted.

***

_"What if we do something on Saturday? I could take you to our favorite area in the woods and walk around."_

_"Not this weekend, Ran. I'm going to be with my friends from work. I promised."_

_Ransom had been dying to have a day with you for a month now. You seemed to always be too busy with work or friends or family to even notice what he was trying to do for you. It was crushing him._

_As much as you wanted everything to be perfect with Ransom, it wasn't always the case. You immersed yourself in work, wanting to do better and be the first one done with projects and paperwork or shmoozing your coworkers and boss. You liked keeping yourself occupied there. Ransom wanted you at home more to see you. It was one of your faults in the relationship that he couldn't ignore._

_He ran his hand through his hair as he held his phone to his ear to keep talking to you._

_"Come on, you said the same thing two weeks ago. I miss being around you. Feel like I haven't seen you in ages."_

_"We see each other all the time," you stated. "I'm just so busy with work and everything else right now. I'd really like to get this promotion you know."_

_"I know, I know. I just miss you."_

_He heard you stop whatever you were doing for a moment and sigh. "I miss you too. I really do."_

_"Then let's do something together. Just one day. That's all I'm asking of you."_

_A beat._

_"I'll try to make something work so I can see you, okay?"_

_A small smile spread across his face as he stood up from the couch and walked to the counter in the kitchen. That lifted his spirits a bit._

_"I'll give you the best day ever, I mean it."_

_"I know you will. I love you." Hearing the smile in your voice made Ransom's heart leap in his chest. He wished he could see you and that bright smile right now._

_"I love you too. Just text me when you're free so I can plan when to see you."_

***

Neither of you ever planned that day Ransom wanted so badly. He had to go off and kill someone just a few weeks later.

What an idiot.

He sighed and watched an officer take a new criminal to their cell across from him. They looked like they belonged here. Dark, ragged clothes, a scar across their cheek probably from a fight or a knife or something, they fit the criminal stereotype Ransom had in his head. He stuck out like a sunflower in a patch of weeds.

He liked to think of himself as a decent guy. He may not be family-oriented, but he cared an awful lot about you before all of this. When Harlan told him he was going to cut him off from the money, Ransom worried that he would lose you. He wouldn't be able to get you everything he wanted to get for you or pay for anything. He was raised in a rich family. He didn't ever have to worry about not having the funds for anything before. He was raised feeling like he would never have to stress over money or making ends meet every month for bills and food. It was one of the downfalls of growing up in the Thrombey family.

You never blamed Ransom for being raised that way. You always knew it was just how his world worked. You had to struggle a little when you got out on your own while he never did. You still loved him through all of it and didn't ever feel inferior. He treated you like you were the most important thing in the world. You _were_ the most important thing in Ransom's world.

***

_Harlan's birthday party was a hit. You were enjoying yourself and mingling with the family all night long. Mainly staying around Marta, your second favorite person there, you would talk about life, love, and all your plans for the wedding you were planning with the man you loved._

_Ransom kept an eye on you the entire time from across the room. He loved seeing you happy and smiling, around his family who loved you and treated you as one of their own. It felt right. He could almost imagine life being like this forever._

_But Harlan called him in to talk. Ransom took one last glance in your direction before going to meet with his grandfather, seeing you laugh at something Joni said. He smiled to himself and turned away to see Harlan._

_All through the time Ransom spent arguing with his grandfather, he worried about what you would say and do. Would you leave him? Make him feel horrible for being cut off from Harlan's money? Stop loving him? Every bad situation that he could come up with ran through his mind. He yelled at his grandfather, threatening him, yelling, wanting to tear the house apart to get what he wanted._

_He just wanted to make sure he could be there for you._

_But Harlan wouldn't budge and Ransom was pissed._

_He stormed out of the room, not even looking in your direction as he grabbed his sweater and went to the front door, heading out to clear his head and take a drive._

_"Ran? Where are you going?" he heard you call out as he went out the door, not stopping to respond to you._

_He hoped you would understand when he would explain what happened after he got back._

_But he never did._

***

Ransom didn't kill his grandfather and frame Marta over the money. He didn't really care about being the spoiled rich boy in the family. He just wanted to have enough to be there for you and give you everything you could ever want and more. He thought doing what he did would ensure he would be able to do that. Thinking things through was never Ransom's strong suit.

He groaned and walked over to the bars of his cell, holding onto them as he looked out at the rest of the cells and officers around him. It was cold and unfamiliar, nothing like the warm and loving feeling of being at home with you. He hated this. All of it.

Knowing what he did and now had to go through was crushing him inside. Turning into a monster and murdering someone was never the path Ransom wanted to go down. He just wanted that nice, quiet life with you. Planning a wedding and going out or sitting and watching movies together on cold winter afternoons. He missed it all so much already.

He needed to know you were okay. That you would get over him and find someone else that would sweep you off your feet and actually take care of you the way Ransom always wanted to. Someone that wouldn't go to such extreme measures for money. One that would actually put you before anyone and anything else. He knew there was someone out there for you. And it wasn't him.

An officer passed by the cells and Ransom held out his hand to get his attention.

"Excuse me," he said, stopping the man. "Can I have that phone call now?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took me forever and I feel like it's super messy and I'm so sorry. My mind was so preoccupied with other things that this chapter was put on the back burner for a while and getting back into it took a while. I hope it's still an enjoyable read! Thanks for getting this far if you're reading this! :)


	3. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After getting a voicemail from a very upset sounding Ransom stuck in jail, you made plans to meet with him. A week later, you were sitting across a table from him with all of your emotions ready to burst. Both of you had the chance separately to come to terms with what was happening, now it was time to actually say something to the person you loved face-to-face. It was a lot harder to say goodbye now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never really planned on writing a part 3 to this little story but seeing so much love for it and comments for a part 3, I decided to get into it. I watched Knives Out a couple of times to feel ready and I really hope that what I have here for you all is good! Let me know your thoughts and thank you so very much for your support and reads. :) Have a lovely day, friends.

The drumming of your fingers on the metal table seemed to be the only noise in the room for a solid minute. A week had gone by since you packed your things from Ransom's house. Since you left your engagement ring on the dresser and said your goodbyes to that life.

Now there he was, sitting across from you with the most guilty face you had ever seen. You wanted to say it didn't faze you, that you didn't care that he felt bad. He was a murderer for crying out loud. But he was also the man you loved, the man you were going to spend the rest of your life with at one point. Now he was just...Ransom.

A killer.

You had to get that across in your mind. This was not the same man you had fallen in love with before. The same man that made you feel safe and secure in every way possible. This was someone, something, completely different.

Ransom opened his mouth to say something and you mentally prepared yourself for whatever was coming. You couldn't let his words or his feelings change your own.

"You look nice today. That color is good on you. Always has been."

That was it? That's all he would say? A compliment?

You cleared your throat and gave him a small nod. A quiet "thank you" was all you could muster at the moment. Two words. The first words you had spoken to him since you watched him get taken away in the back of the squad car. You had heard his voice when he left the voicemail for you to come and see him. It nearly tore you apart that day.

***

_After driving home from Ransom's house, you grabbed the box of your belongings from the back of your car and opened the door to your apartment._

_It was so different from his. Small, cluttered from all of your work and the miniature library you had collected over the years. Some of the books in the piles came from Ransom. He would buy you new ones he thought you would like and put notes in the margins. You would need to get rid of all of those soon._

_You set the box down in the living room and stood by the couch, taking your phone from your coat pocket. Seeing a missed call and voice message from an unknown number, you sighed and checked your voice mail. You needed to clear that out anyway, it was always almost full._

_"Hey."_

_The familiar voice almost caused you to drop your phone, your hands shaking immediately._

_"I'm sorry that I'm already bothering you. I didn't want to but I got to thinking and I just really need to see you."_

_You slowly sat down on the couch, listening to Ransom's voice. You missed it. You missed_ him. You _knew you shouldn't be missing his voice or him or anything, but_ god _he was the man you loved._

_"I won't set anything up or say that you have to come and see me. I just would really like it if you did. I'll understand if you didn't come. Honestly, I wouldn't blame you. But if you did, I could maybe explain things? Or no, not explain...make things right."_

_He paused, listening to another man's voice in the background of the message._

_"I don't have a lot of time left on here so just consider it. You can call here and they'll help you set up a meeting. If I don't hear anything, I'll just let this be our goodbye. I...I love you."_

_The message ended and you quickly put your phone down on the coffee table, your head in your hands._

_He wanted to see you. You couldn't deny that you also wanted to see him, but definitely not for the same reasons he probably wanted to see you._

_You couldn't go. No way. He would give you those guilty, puppy dog eyes and you would melt and feel horrible for the rest of your life. He would absolutely try to win your heart back. No way would you let that happen._

_Dropping your hands from your face and standing up, you took a deep breath and walked to the kitchen, needing to try and find a way to clear your mind, clear it of everything that had to do with Ransom._

_Cleaning the entire apartment seemed like the best way to do just that._

***

"Why did you want to see me?" you asked. Ransom looked up from the table and shrugged his shoulders.

"I just wanted to see you. I never got to explain what happened in the way that I wanted to tell you."

"You killed two people, Ransom," you snapped back. "Two people are dead because of you. Two very good people that shouldn't be dead."

"I know what I did," his voice was much softer than yours as he spoke. He knew that would usually calm you down but he didn't know if it would work today.

Rolling your eyes, you leaned back in your chair and crossed your arms. "Fine. Start talking. Say what you have to and give me all of your excuses."

He knew he wasn't going to win you over. That was never his intention anyway. He just needed to tell you what was going through his mind when things got ugly.

"When my grandfather told me that he was cutting me off from his money," Ransom started, playing with the sleeve of his shirt. "He didn't do that to me out of punishment. He did it because he knew I would never amount to anything if I just lived off his money for the rest of my life. He knew I was planning my life with you and wanted to prove something to me. That I needed to grow up and live on my own and make my own way in life."

"That's all he ever wanted for you, what your entire family wanted for you," you interrupted him and glared at the table, not even wanting to look at his face right now. "What I wanted for you."

"I know that now. I wasn't thinking clearly that night when he spoke to me about it. I was scared and worried about how you would react or if you would leave if I didn't have anything."

Your eyes flicked up to his and you huffed. "I never cared about how much money you had or anything like that. I only cared about you. I would have been happy living in a little shack with you barely getting by. As long as I had you, I knew everything would be okay. You obviously didn't think the same. You wanted the money."

"I wanted to make sure I could take care of you," he interjected, his voice getting louder. "I wanted a good life for us. Is that so horrible?"

"It's not bad to want something for us. It's horrible when you kill people to get that good life that you won't ever get. Not with me, probably not with anyone now."

Ouch. That one stung.

Ransom met your gaze and sighed. He knew you were right, of course. No one would want to be with him after this. And if he ever got out of jail, there would be no one on earth that he could ever love as much as he loved you.

"I know I missed my chance on that. I hope this doesn't mean you're going to miss any chances with someone new," he said with a nod. This wasn't just going to affect him. This was the man you were supposed to marry. The world would see the news about Harlan's death, Fran's death, what Ransom did. You would be in the news as well. You were like part of the family, you were Ransom's fiance. People would know and talk.

With a heavy sigh, you met Ransom's gaze. "You didn't mean to ruin our lives. I get it. But you did. You chose this. You're stuck in jail and I can barely leave my apartment without some news station trying to ask me questions about you and the family. What am I supposed to tell them?"

Ransom opened his mouth to respond, but he couldn't think of anything to tell you, anything he could say to make you feel better. There was probably no way to make you feel better about the situation, but he so desperately wanted to see you forget about him and everything he did and be happy.

***

_Everyone in the family attended Harlan's funeral. Everyone but Marta, who everyone considered family though she was Harlan's nurse, Ransom, and yourself. You definitely thought you would have gone with Ransom, but he had no interest in being there. He got upset every time you brought it up that day._

_"We should really go. You need to be there with your family, see your grandfather one last time and say your goodbyes. It'll be good for you, Ran."_

_Ransom shook his head, staring down at the floor as he sat on the couch. "I'm not going. I don't want to go through that."_

_"But-"_

_"We fought the last time I saw him. I can't go to that funeral and act like it'll make me feel better. It won't."_

_You sighed and shook your head, raising your hands in defeat. "Fine, don't go. We'll just sit here and pretend we don't care that he's dead and we don't care about supporting the rest of your family while they're all grieving or while we are." You sat on the opposite end of the couch and crossed your arms, looking out the window at the dreary, fall weather. Winter was getting closer and closer, you could feel the chill radiating from the window._

_Ransom glanced over in your direction, watching you stare out the window. He knew you loved Harlan like he was your own grandfather. He would treat you like you were already in the family, excited to know you would be in the family when you and Ransom announced your engagement to the family. He adored you just as much as any of his other grandchildren. You would spend time sitting with him in his library, talking about life or books, anything really. You just liked being around him. Ransom would usually watch both of you from the doorway, a huge smile on his face. You were happy and that's all Ransom needed to know that he was doing alright by you._

_Seeing the frown on your face and red around your eyes told him that you were upset. He wasn't the only one that lost someone. You had lost Harlan as well. You were just as close to him, closer actually than almost everyone else in the family. You were heartbroken._

_And Ransom couldn't ever tell you that he was the cause of Harlan's death. He could never say something like that to you. He would lose you, lose everything. That would never happen._

_"Hey," his voice was much softer now than it was a moment ago. You tore your eyes away from the window and met his. "Come here."_

_With a heavy sigh, you moved over to Ransom and rested your head on his shoulder, him taking your hand and gently rubbing his thumb over the back of it._

_"I'm sorry. I never said you couldn't go to the funeral. I just personally don't want to. I can't."  
_

_"I thought maybe you seeing him one last time would be good for you," you explained softly._

_"It probably would, but so would staying here. I don't want to get caught up in all of the family drama that's going to happen anyway. The will reading is going to happen eventually and everyone is going to be going nuts until they know for sure that they're getting something from my grandfather. I can't stand it."_

_You knew the Thrombey family was known for being dramatic and horrible to each other sometimes. You had seen a few of them being rude to Marta at times. She tried shrugging it off, being one to keep the peace. You were not so quiet about it. Marta appreciated your kindness and eagerness to always speak up for what was right. She loved you and you loved her. You considered her more like family than half the actual family members. Her and Harlan were always your favorites. Right behind Ransom of course._

_"Can I ask you something?" Ransom spoke after a minute, pulling you from your thoughts._

_"Hm? Sure, what is it?"_

_"if something ever happened to me and I wasn't here, what would you do?"_

_Lifting your head from Ransom's shoulder, you looked at him in confusion. "What kind of question is that? Are you trying to get me to cry?"_

_"No, of course not," he shook his head, chuckling softly. "I just mean that if I was gone, something happened, what would you do? Would you move on and be happy?"_

_"I don't like this conversation anymore."_

_"Please just answer the question."_

_You huffed and turned your head to look at the wall, not knowing how to answer at that moment. Of course you would be upset if anything happened to Ransom. You were going to marry him. He was the only person you ever wanted to be with. Why would he ask something like that?_

_Harlan just died. He's probably just worried about stuff, worried about you being left alone if something really did happen to him. Could you be happy? Moving on to someone else? You could. It would hurt for a long time, it probably would take a long while just to get back into the dating game._

_"I would try my best. I can't promise that I would ever be as happy with anyone else."_

_Ransom nodded his head as you spoke and looked down at his sleeve, messing with it a little. You noticed and grabbed his hand to stop him._

_"Ran, you don't have to worry about that because nothing is going to happen. We're in this for the long run. I don't plan on leaving and finding someone else because I only plan on being with you until we're both old and wrinkled and still complaining about each other's alcohol choices."_

_That gained you a small smile from him, the corners of his mouth turning up the tiniest bit. "_ _You're way too good for me."_

_"Yeah, I know I am,"_

_He shook his head with a laugh and wrapped his arms around you, kissing your cheek. "I love you. Let's find something to do that isn't sad, alright?"_

_"Like wine and a rom-com?"_

_"Sure, we'll drink your crappy fruity wine and watch a rom-com."_

***

"Do you remember that conversation we had the day of the funeral?" Ransom asked, staring down at the table, messing with the sleeve of his shirt.

"What conversation?" You tipped your head to the side in confusion. That was a little while ago now and you had a lot on your mind, there was no way you would remember a little conversation right now.

"The one where I told you to be happy after something happened to me."

Now it came back to you like a ton of bricks. You hated it when he first brought it up, not understanding what he meant at the time, why he was worried about that and making you worry about it. Looking back at it, Ransom wasn't talking about if he were to die or get in an accident. He meant _this._

"I know I've ruined any chance of us being happy together," Ransom started, avoiding your eyes. "I've ruined my life for good. I've accepted that. I know what I did. You still have a chance to be happy. I want you to go out and forget about me. I don't need you to think about me."

"I can't just forget about you, Ransom. It's not that easy," you said, shaking your head. "I was going to marry you. I thought you were it, the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. How can I just forget all of that happened? Everything that we've been through and done together?"

"You have to try. You're the strongest person I know, the best person I've ever met. You deserve better. You deserve the entire world and more, not me."

"So you're just going to sit in a cell for probably the rest of your life and you want me to find someone else and be happy," you stated. "Why are you telling me this?"

Ransom shrugged his shoulders. "I know you. I know that you'll think about what we had and what could have been. You always think about the past more than your future. I don't want you to do that. I want you to think about yourself and your happiness. Get out of this town, go do the things you've always wanted to, find a better job than the one you always complain about. You can do anything you want now that you aren't stuck with me. You deserve a good life, don't get stuck thinking about me and my bad one."

This wasn't the same Ransom talking that killed his grandfather and Fran. This was your Ransom. The one you fell in love with.

"Get out of here and be you. Don't think about me, don't visit, don't write. Just pretend I'm not even here anymore. I want you to be happy and taken care of. Take care of yourself. I know you can do that. You don't need me."

You knew he wouldn't let you visit. He was stubborn like that. He wouldn't read your letters if you sent any. You needed to forget him and move on. You wanted to be happy again and find another chance at love. Although that last part would be more difficult, as it was amazing to love Ransom. How could you ever find someone like that man?

Standing up from the table, you took a deep breath and went around to Ransom's side. He didn't look up at you as you put your hands on his shoulder and kissed his temple.

"It was lovely to love you, Ransom."

He didn't say a word as you walked to the door, the guard standing there opening it for you. You turned to give him one last glance, finally raising his eyes to meet yours. They were happy and hopeful. This was the right thing to do, both of you knew that.

Turning away, you walked out of the building and into a new life, one without Ransom.


End file.
